The primary focus of the lab is to understand the genetic basis of variation in complex traits. We exploit multiparent populations (or synthetic populations) and take advantage of genome scale datasets to achieve these goals. We use different genetic model systems depending on the question and approach being used to address a particular problem. We use a diploid outbred population of yeast in an Evolve & Resequence paradigm to understand short-term evolutionary change. The Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource (DSPR) is used to dissect traits in a simple multicellular animal. A fortuitous synthetic population of Peromyscus leucopus is studied to understand how this species is such an effective disease reservoir.

Key Research Areas